Hinge



NOV. 6, 1956 R, E FOLTZ 2,769,198

' HINGE Filed rune 24. 1952 I .kim

IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent l HINGE Robert E. Foltz, Sterling, Ill., assignorto Lawrence Bros., Inc., Sterling, Ill., a corporation of IllinoisApplication June 24, 1952, Serial No. 295,227

5 Claims. (Cl. 16-169) This invention relates to hinges and is moreparticularly concerned with improvements in the type of hinge having apair of leaves with aligned knuckles and a pin engaging in the knuckles.

In hinges of the type described the connecting pin has a tendency towork up r rise with repeated operation of the hinge with the result thatthe effective bearing engagement between the pin and the knuckles isreduced, and the portion of the pin extending above the hinge presentsan unsightly appearance.l

Various arrangements have been suggested for preventing the pin fromrising while at the same time permitting it to be readily removed whendesired. Most of these arrangementshave inherent disadvantages in thatthey either increase the cost of manufacture of the hinge too greatly orthey are of such a character that they do not work satisfactorily,frequently due to the failure of the carpenter or installer to properlyassemble the pin in the knuckle.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improvedhinge and pintle construction wherein the pintle is retained scurely innon-rising relation in the aligned bores of the knuckles by a relativelysimple re' taining means which does not unduly increase the cost ofmanufacturing the hinge. l

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a hinge of thetype described in which the pintle is provided adjacent its inner endwith Va peripheral groove and the end knuckle isprovided with a springretaining element having an end portion engageable in the pintle groove,the retaining element being held in proper position inthe end knuckle byan ornamental tip@ It is a still more Yspecific object of the inventionto provide a` hinge comprising a pair of leaves having knucklesyextending along adjacent' edges with the knuckles having aligned boresand a removable pin engaging in the aligned bores, the pin having aperipheral groove adjacent the inner end and the end knuckle having arecess in the bore thereof in which there is positioned a springretaining member having a shoulder formation on the inner end releasablyengaging in the groove of the pin and which is held in the recess by thepin portion of an ornamental tip which extends into the bore of theknuckle.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the hinge construction which is shown by way ofillustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a hinge embodying the principal features of theinvention with the knuckle portions thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the hinge pintle and its retainingmechanism;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the end knuckle in whichthe retaining mechanism is provided;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the pin retaining spring element, to anenlarged scale; and

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of thedevice.

ICC

In the hinge construction which is shown in Figs. 1-4, and whichembodies the principal features of the invention, two hinge leaves orplate members 10 and 11 are provided which are generally rectangular andwhich are preferably formed of steel, bronze, aluminum or similar metal.The leaves 10 and 11 have integral knuckle forming elements spaced alongadjacent edges which have their bores in aligned relation when the twoplates are assembled to form the hinge. In the illustrated form of thehinge the one leaf 10 is provided with two knuckle forming elements 12and 13 while the other leaf 11 is provided with three knuckle formingelements 14, 15 and 16.

The knuckle forming elements 12 and 13 are provided with bushings 17,preferably of self-lubricating metal, which have an internal diametersufficient to receive in rotatable relation a connecting pin or pintle18. The knuckle forming-elements 12 and 13 are each recessed at theouter end and receive thrust bearings 19 in the recesses providedtherein.

The intermediate or central knuckle forming element 15 on the hinge 11isprovided with a self-lubricating bushing 20. The top and bottom endknuckle forming elements 14 and 16 are also provided with similarbushings 21 and 22. The bushing members 20, 21 and 22 are all of theproper internal diameter to accommodate in rotable relation therein thehinge pintle 18. The bushings 17, 20, 21 and 22 form with the respectiveknuckle elements 12, 13, 14, 15and 16 two part or two section knuckles12', 13', 14', 15' and 16.

The hinge pintle 18 is provided on its outer end with l a decorative tip23 and is of sufficient length to have the inner end terminate in thebushing 22 of the bottom end knuckle 16. The pintle 18 is providedadjacent its inner end with a relatively shallow groove 24.

The bottom end bushing 22 is provided with an axially extending recess25 f in the inner wall which is adapted to receive a pin retainingmember 26. The pin retaining member 26 is formed of flat spring materialand has a relatively widebase portion27 with aninwardly extendingportion 28 of reduced width which terminates in a reversely bent endforming a shoulder or ridge 29 extending radially inwardly of-the innerwall of the bushing 22 when the member 26 is positioned in the recess25. The retaining member 26 is curved in the lateral direction as shownin Fig. 4, with the same degree of curvature asy the inner wallof thebushing 22, so that it lits snugly in the recess 25. It is held in therecess 25'by the shank portion or pin section 30 of an` ornamental tip31 which is of the'proper diameter to tpclosely within the bore of thebushing 22 and to be frictionally retained therein. The shank or pinportion 30 of the tip 31 extends into the bushing 22 beyond the wideportion 27 of the member 26 but terminates short of the inner end of thepintle 18 and the ridge formation 29 on the retaining member 26, andthus retains the member 26 in the recess 25 upon assembly of the samewith the end knuckle 16. The hinge pin or pintle 18 is of course held innonrising position by reason of the resilient engagement of the radiallyinwardly projecting shoulder 29 of the spring retaining member 26 in thegroove 24 in the pintle 18.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 5. ln this formthe hinge leaves 40 and 41 are provided with the aligned knuckles in thesame manner as in Fig. 1 with the bushings in the knuckles beingomitted. The end knuckle 42 is provided with the recess 43 for receivinga pin retaining member 44 of the same character as illustrated in Fig.4. The retaining member 44 is held in the recess 43 in the knuckle 42 bythe threaded shank or pin portion 45 of an ornamental tip 46 which is inthreaded engagement in the knuckle 42. The connecting pintle 47 isprovided with a groove 48 adjacent the end for receiving the ridge orshoulder 49 on the end portion of the spring retaining member 44.

While a particular form of pin retaining member is shown and describedit will be appreciated that this member may take a somewhat differentshapewith a corresponding change in the shape of the recess provided inthe end knuckle for receiving the same. It may be any configuration solong as it is provided with an inwardly extending resilient portionhaving a shoulder for engagement in a suitable recess in the hingepintle.

While specific details of construction and particular materials havingbeen referred to in describing the illustrated form of the device itwill be appreciated that variations in structure and materials arecontemplated within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a hinge, a pair of hinge leaves formed of sheet material, each ofsaid leaves having a plurality of knuckle formations along one edgethereof, said knuckle formations being arranged in interleaved relationand having aligned bore formations, a pin received in said boreformations, said pin terminating at its inner end within the boreformation of the end knuckle formation and having an outwardly openingperipheral groove adjacent the inner end thereof, said end knuckleformation having an axially extending internal recess in the side wallthereof which opens into the bore and extends to the outer end thereofand a pin retaining spring plate element positioned in said recess, saidplate element having a relatively narrow inner end portion which isreversely bent to provide a ridge extending radially inwardly thereofand receivable in the groove in said pin, and a tip member having apintle forming shank portion extending within the bore formation in saidend knuckle formation and overlying the outer portions of said recessand the spring plate element positioned therein whereby to hold said pinretaining spring plate element in position in said recess.

2. In a hinge as recited in claim l, said tip member being secured inscrew threaded relation with said end knuckle formation.

3. In a hinge, a pair of hinge leaves, each of said leaves having aplurality of integral knuckles extending along an edge thereof, saidknuckles being arranged in interleaved relation and having aligned boreformations, a pin positioned within said bore formations and having atits inner end a peripheral groove, one of said knuckles having aninternal wall formation provided with an inwardly opening recess thereinand a pin retaining member positioned in said recess, said pin retainingmember having a portion provided with a relatively narrow ridgeformation extending inwardly into the bore formation of the knuckle andresiliently engaging in said groove,

and a tip member having a pin portion extending within the boreformation of said knuckle and overlying portions of said recess to locktherein said pin retaining member.

4. In a hinge, a pair of hinge leaves formed of sheet material, each ofsaid leaves having a plurality of spaced knuckles extending from oneedge thereof, said knuckles being arranged in interleaved relation withthe bores thereof aligned, a pin positioned in said bores, said pinhaving a head at one end and terminating at its other end in the bore ofa knuckle adjacent the end of the hinge, said pin having a peripheralgroove adjacent said other end thereof, said last mentioned knucklehaving an axially extending recess in the side wall thereof openinginwardly into the bore, said recess having a relatively narrow innerportion and a wider outer portion, a pin retaining element seated insaid recess, said retaining element having a relatively narrow inner endportion provided with a radially projecting ridge formation resilientlyengaging in the groove in said pin and a wider portion seated in theouter portion of said recess, and a tip member secured in said lastmentioned knuckle, said tip member having a pintle forming shank portionextending into the bore thereof a sufficient distance to overlie theouter portion of said retaining element whereby to hold said pinretaining element in position in said recess.

5. In a hinge, a pair of hinge leaves each having a plurality ofintegral knuckles extending along an edge thereof, self-lubricatingbushings in said knuckles, said knuckles being arranged in interleavedrelation with the bushings therein having aligned bores, a headed pinengaging in said bores and having at its inner end a peripheral groove,the bushing in the end knuckle having a recess which extends inwardly ofthe outer end of the bore and which opens into the bore of said bushingand a pin retaining member positioned in said recess, said pin retainingmember having a relatively narrow reversely bent inner end portionproviding a ridge formation extending radially inwardly of the wall ofthe recessed bushing and resiliently engaging in said groove, and a tipmember having a relatively short pin portion extending partially intosaid recessed bushing and overlying the outer portions of said recess tolock therein said pin retaining member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 636,332Glover Nov. 7, 1899 807,680 Lewis Dec. 19, 1905 843,581 Caley Feb. 12,1907 1,824,886 Hart Sept. 29, 1931

